2017 Emerald Classic - Big Success

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And I must apologize now to our gymnasts and their families because I fell down on the job and didn't take any photos until Sunday - I was at the meet but I just didn't get them taken (and it's not really an excuse that I was not feeling well - and I am sick to think that I didn't get photos of our wonderful gymnasts. I'm hoping if any of you parents have pictures of the team level or first-place all-arounds, I'd really appreciate it if you could e-mail them to me. I can add them at the end of the article if I can't get them placed within.

The Competition - Friday Night - Level One and Two Gymnasts

Friday night kicked off the competition in a big way with 73 Level One and Two gymnasts from nine teams competing in this session. Competing in this session for Jax Gym were Helen Born, Isabella Bornhauser, Parker Brock, Makayla Cleveland, Alayna Griffin, Victoria Jacob, Kierra Mosby and Natalie Woodall.

The Jax Gym Level Two Team proudly won the Second-Place Team Trophy. Top honors awarded to the Level Two Team follow:

High Honors (first, second or third) were won by the following Jax Gym Level Two gymnasts:

Parker: Bars - Third; Floor - Second; All-Around - Second

Alayna: Bars - Third; Beam - Third; All-Around - Third

Victoria: Bars - Second; Floor - First; All-Around - Second

Natalie: Bars - First

Isabella: Bars - Third; Beam - First; Floor - Third

Keiarra: Vaut - First; Bars - Second; All-Around - Third

Makayla: Bars: Third

Speaking of trophies - here is a picture of the very unique and great trophy awarded at the Emerald Classic.

The 2017 Emerald Classic Gymnastics Competitive Meet was held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 17, 18, 19 at the State House Convention Center in Little Rock, AR. The meet, sponsored by Jax Gym, featured 21 teams from Arkansas and Louisiana with 534 gymnasts competing. The meet was for Levels One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine, as well as Xcel gymnasts, competing Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.

Laurel Adams, head coach at Jax Gym was the Meet Director, and the meet really was a great success, which could not have happened if it weren't for the fantastic staff at Jax Gym and Huff 'n Puff, who were there for all three days of the meet to assist with whatever needed to be done. Coach Laurel has had good help at our meets before and I'm sure most of these were the same people, but they outdid themselves. Our staff, coaches, families of our staff, our gymnasts (especially our older gymnasts and their families) who were there for the entire competition, and our families and gymnasts who volunteered to work and bring food - all certainly outdid themselves to make this meet the great competition that it was. I know that these workers, and Laurel and the coaches were exhausted by the time the meet was over and everything was finished and cleaned up. Our team coaches who worked the competition were Laurel, Stacy, Dennis, Anna, Wendi, Kayla, Jenna and Sara. Our thanks to Michael York who came down from Fayetteville and left his final senior studies to work at inputing and computing the scores, to Randy Ransburgh who announced tirelessly during the entire meet, and to Greg Armstrong, who ran the music during the entire meet - and the Armstrong boys--Brady and Preston--worked at whatever needed to be done. Our thanks and much appreciation to Jackie York and Jackie Cross who did such a fabulous job at taking care of all the food needs for the coaches and judges room (a thankless job, really for the many, many hours of hard work that they put in - although I did hear some of the coaches say that one of the reasons they like to come to Jax Gym meets was because of the great food! - Thank you to all who furnished food.) Shelly Soderlund took care of admissions and Ms. Andi did a great job at our pro shop out in the entry way, and Kristina Armstrong worked tirelessly at whatever needed to done. Cannot tell you how all of you are appreciated and you all are what makes Jax Gym--along with the wonderful coaches-- the great team, and Huff 'n Puff the great family business that it is.

Additionally, we thank the parents who came and volunteered their time for one or two sessions. It was all certainly appreciated. And we especially thank the members of the Air Force from Little Rock AFB who volunteered their time and muscles (and the parents, including the moms and gymnasts) who aided in the set-up and take down of the double sets of equipment required for the meet. Special thanks go to Jory Beratto, Natalie Arizpe's mom, Landrey and her mom, and the Scott family.